Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546491
The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. The full interview can be found on maltatoday.com.mt as well as our Facebook and Spotify pages. PHOTOS: JAMES BIANCHI / MALTA TODAY 7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 SEPTEMBER 2026 INTERVIEW As opposed to other people who take up similar roles to yours, when it was announced you will be taking over, many praised the appointment. Where did this come from? I think it was done to my work with activists and on animal rights as a police inspector. I have been a police officer for over 20 years, and in the past eight years I have worked at the environmental protection unit. Your past as a police of- ficer, will be an advantage or disadvantage in your new role? Something that I find a bit difficult is that before a report would come in, and I can start my own investigation. Today I need to work with others. But I don't feel this is a drawback as I know what an investigation entails and how long an investigation should take. This allows me to guide investigators through my own experience. The police sometimes get a bad reputation when it comes to animal welfare investigations. Where do you stand on this? Is that criticism right or unjusti- fied? The criticism I feel is unfair, but if there is criticism, I feel it stems from the training provided to officers when it comes to carrying out these investigations. I was an inspector at a district police station, and I know what it feels like having to deal with fights, murders and disputes. These things sometimes would not be at the top of the priority list, and I am speaking honestly. But when I started working more closely with activists and volunteers, and I saw how dedicated they are to their cause, I realised that we also need to prioritise these cases. I mention training because as a police officer, if you are not trained in investigating a certain type of crime, you cannot carry out your work at the highest level. Your predecessor Fleur Ab- ela had launched an inves- tigation into the animal welfare directorate, and its director. Among the allegations made were bad conditions at the facility, and dogs in a bad medical state. Has the investiga- tion been concluded? I cannot comment as it was my predecessor who launched the investigation, I was not involved in any way and I am not privy to any details. What I can say is that when my office receives reports, I will investigate. But on the investigation, you mentioned I cannot comment. An issue which arises from time to time is that of the karozzini. Recently a legal notice was issued banning their operation during red weather warnings. But is this really enough? I feel sometimes authorities want to meet everyone's demands. Shouldn't we take the decision to ban them already? How do you feel about this? As you are aware I am still very new to the role. Summer is starting to wind down, and so this is the perfect time to sit down and analyse the issue properly. My office is right now in the process of drafting recommendations on this issue. I like to base my position on research and so the recommendations will be based on research. Because we mentioned my past as a police officer, I myself in 2020 had charged an individual who was driving the karozzin at 1pm in breach of the law and he was found guilty. Also, if I remember correctly, before 2019 there were no rules in place which regulate their operations. Yes, but seven years have passed… Yes, and that is why I am preparing recommendations so we can maybe have a better situation when next summer comes around. If your research shows you that during the summer months karozzini should not be allowed, and the driver will not have any in- come throughout summer. Will you still make that recommendation? My role is that of safeguarding animal welfare, but you have to keep everything in mind – culture, livelihood of people… I will be working alongside the recommendation to help shape and drive the solution for how it should be implemented. Cat abandonment is also a topic which arises regular- ly. You have very dedicated shelters and volunteers which try to address the problem, there are a num- ber of schemes offered by government like aid for neutering, but the problem remains. Are we close to a situation where we need to euthanise cats to solve the problem? I can never acknowledge arriving to that situation, and I don't want to even think about it. A solution I am seeing is a number of cat cafes are popping up, and as you said a number of very dedicated volunteers who care for cat colonies, and I think we can bring the two together. I feel this is one of the solutions which can accompany a national neutering campaign. Around two years ago we saw government regulate the breeding on bully breed dogs. To get a cat, especial- ly during kitten season, it's very easy. Should similar regulation be put in place for cats? There is one single regulation that should trump everything – neutering. When you have neutered cats, the number of kittens born reduces a lot, and so the number of cats which are abandoned also goes down. It a solution for the future. How do you want your ten- ure to be characterised? My job as a police officer was close to my heart, and I accepted this role because I saw the potential of doing something positive. I want to look back at my time and say I left a positive impact. When it comes to this sector whatever you do is never enough. Abuse of animals is changing, and I want to base my recommendations on these new realities. The way people abuse animals is changing, and I want to base my recommendations on these new realities.